Internal combustion engine



June l0, 1941. s. D. lRvlNG 2,244,706

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed June 22, 1940 s sheetssneet z INVENTOR.men MAN p. wma

n ATTORNEY.

June 10, 1941. s. D. IRVING 2,244,705

INTERNAL coMBUsTloN ENGINE Filed June 22, 1940 3 Sheets-'Sheet 3INVENTOR. .HIRMAN D- IRVING BY Wv/@ow A TTORNEY.

Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGINE Sherman D. Irving, Youngstown, Ohio Application June 22, 1940,Serial No. 341,916

3 Claims.

This invention relates `to an internal combustion engine.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an internalcombustion engine in which the horse-power to weight ratio has beengreatly increased over other forms known to the art.

A further object of this invent-ion is to provide an internal combustionengine so constructed as to be almost free from vibration when inoperation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an internal combustionengine equipped with a novel valve arrangement designed to providehigher eiiiciency.

A further object is to provide an internal com- -bustion engine having aplurality of cylinders, each of which is adapted to be fired at both itsupper and lower ends, thus providing two power impulses per cylinder inplace of the usual one.-

A still further object of this invention is to provide an internalcombustion engine having a novel cam shaft construction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein-Figure 1 is an end view of the internal combustion'engine with parts incross section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the internal combustion engine withparts in cross section, said cross section taken on line B-B of Figure1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the invention, with parts in crosssection taken on lines C-C oi' Figure 2. Lines A-A on this figureindicate the approximate cross section shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view of the left face of a valve actuating cam used inoperating the valves in the invention. Figure 4a is a view of the camshown in Figure 4 and Figure 4b is a view of the right face of the camshown in Figures 4 and 4a.

Figure 5 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuit of Itheengine.

By referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen thatthe invention comprises a crank case I having a block 2 positionedthereon. A secondary block 3 is positioned upon the block 2, and haspositioned upon it in turn a head l. The block 2 has formed upon it asecondary head 5. A plurality of cylinders 6 are positioned Within thesecondary block 3, and

' have a plurality of glands I connecting them to a plurality ofopenings 3 formed within the block 2. A double headed piston 9 and apiston rod III attached lthereto is positioned within each of thecylinders 8 so that each of the piston rods Ill extend downwardlythrough the glands 'I into the openings 8. At the lower end of each ofthe piston rods I0, there is positioned a slidable cross head I I, whichin turn is provided with the usual wrist pin and connecting rod I2.'I'he connecting rod. I2 `is attached through bearings, to a crank shaftI3. This crank shaft I3, the connecting rods I2, the cross heads IU, andthe pistons 9 are all drilled for oil passage for lubrication purposesas indicated by the numeral 35 in Figure 1 of the drawings.

In Figure 1, on the left side of the engine. and between the head 4 andsecondary Ihead 5, there is positioned a piston valve assemblycomprising a plurality of piston valves Ila and IIb, valve operatingrods I5, and Valve operating arms I6, which in turn are attached tovalve control rods I1 and I 8, the valve control rod I1 being positionedwithin the hollow valve control rod I8. These valve control rods, arms,and piston valves are drilled for oil passage for lubrication purposes.

By referring to the lower portion of Figure l it will be seen that thesevalve control rods I1 and I8 are actuated by means of a double faced camI 9, which is in turn carried upon a cam shaft 20. Referring to theupper portion of Figure 1, an intake manifold is indicated by numeral 2|and exhaust manifolds are indicated by numerals-22 and 23, it beingobvious that the exhaust manifolds 22 and 23 are respective integralparts of the head I and the secondary head 5. Suitable water J'acketingis also indicated by the numerals 24. In Figure 2, spark plugs areindicated by numerals 25. while the valve operating arms I6 and valverods I5 are shown separated by small tension spi ings 26. The intakeports are iindicated by numeral 21 while the exhaust ports are indicatedby numeral 28. In the schematic diagram in Figure 5 the numeral 20indicates the distributor and the numerals 301 and 3l indicate the -twocylinders of the engine, while 32 and 33 represent the pistons.

To accurately describe the operation of this engine, it is necessary torefer to the degrees of rotation of the crank shaft, in order to fullyunderstand the timing and firing principles. While it is evident thatthe engine could have any desirable number of cylinders, we have shown atwo cylinder engine and the description of its operating readsaccordingly. Starting at 0 and firing at the top of one of thecylinders, the crank shaft has revolved 180 when the second cylinderfires at its top. The crank shaft fthen revolves 180 further and thatsame cylinder fires at its bottom position. The crank shaft revolves I80further and the first cylinder fires at its bottom position. This ringorder is shown in a schemetric diagram in Figure 5. It will be evidentthat the dual construction of this engine permits a power impulse to beapplied to the crank shaft at every 180 of its revolution. It is furtherevident that the firing is at all times directly against compression,thus greatly cushioning and evening the flow of power impulses. Thepiston valves of the engine are actuated by the double faced cam I9, andin Figure 1 these valves are shown in firing position for the top of thecylinder S. Thus the piston valve Ma is shown closing the port into the`top of the cylindr 6 while the piston valve Hb likewise closes the portinto the bottom of the cylinder 6. When the piston 9 has moveddownwardly, the double faced cam I0 revolves and changes the position ofthe piston valve Mia, so that the upper portion of thecylinder 6 may becleared of exhaust gases and recharged on the subsequent downwardmovement of the piston 9.

It is evident that this invention possesses many advantages over theearlier development of the art, one of the most important of which isits greatly increased power out-put per pound of weight. Anotherdistinct advantage is its relatively small size which is due to the dualutilization of each cylinder. A still further outstanding advantage isits almost vibrationless operation due to its rotary-like application ofpower impulses to the crank shaft. Its unique manifoldings most obviousadvantage isthe relatively short distance the vaporized fuel must travelto and then closes, thus operating much faster than the ordinary poppetor sleeve valve. A still further advantage of thisengine is its inherentbalance of parts. 'I'he weight on the crank shaft is equally balanced atall times, thus helping to reduce vibration.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of an internal combustion engine adapted to use afuel mixture and having a plurality of cylinders, a piston positioned ineach of said cylinders, said pistons actuated on the four cycleprinciple but obtaining dual action by closing both ends of thecylinders with suitable cylinder heads to form combustion chambers,piston rods for said pistons, together with cross heads positioned onthe said piston rods and having connecting rods attached thereto adaptedto absorb any side thrust thus holding pistons and piston rods incorrect position, together with timing and valve arrangements to providetwo explosions every 720 in any and every cylinder, said valvearrangement comprising a plurality of piston Valve cylinders, valveseats in said valve cylinders. a plurality of piston valves positionedone in each cylinder, ports formed between the said combustion chambersand the said valve cylinders, the said ports positioned away from saidvalve seats thus permitting the piston valves to travelfpast the saidports so that their reverse action will form a suction in the portion ofthe valve cylinder adjacent to the combustion chambers, a set oi.' valvecontrol rods for each of the said piston valves, each set of the valvecontrol rods comprising a hollow rod having a solid rod positionedtherein and actuated at their lower ends by double faced cams in suchmanner as to open and close in 113 of rotation of the crank shaft ofsaid engine, substantially as described.

2. The combination of an internal combustion engine adapted to useliquid fuel, and having a plurality of cylinders, a piston positioned ineach of said cylinders, said pistons actuated on the four cycleprinciple but containing dual action vby closing both ends of thecylinders with suitable cylinder heads to form combustion chambers,piston rods for said pistons, cross heads positioned on the said pistonrods and having connecting rods attached thereto, a crank shaft I towhich said connecting rods are suitably attached, the cranks of saidcrank shaft being spaced equi-distant necessarily due to the firingorder of the engine in order to balance the crank shaft, in combinationwith suitable timing and reach the firing point. In the construction ofits heads this engine has apparent advantages in that the firingcharge'is compressed directly over the piston, thus eliminating pocketswhich normally collect carbon. The valve construction in piston formprovides a clear -port from the carburetor to the combustion chamber asit sets up no obstructions. The piston valve itself provides a4 pumpingaction which tends to pull the fuel charge into the ring chamber. Thispumping action is caused by the piston valve 'travelling past thecylinder port so that when its action is reversed it tends to create apartial vacuum thus drawing the charge of fuel mixture after it. Thesame advantages are apparent in the similar construction of the exhaustvalves. These Valves are opened and closed in a shorter period of timethan has heretofore been needed for this purpose. 'I'he valve opens inapproximately 41% and stays open for 60 additional, 75

valve arrangements to provide two explosions every 720 in any and everycylinder, said valve arrangement comprising piston valves 'in pistonvalve cylinders on said engine, the said piston valves being adapted totravel past the cylinder ports so that their reverse action will startthe motion of vaporized fuel into the combustion chamber by forming asuction in the portion of the valve chambers adjacent to the combustionchambers, the exhaust valves performing the same function in startingthe removal of exhaust gases, a set of valve control rods for each ofthe said piston valves, each set of valve control rods comprising ahollow rod having a solid rod positioned therein and actuated at theirlower ends by double faced cams in such manner as to open and close in113 of rotationof the crank shaft of said engine.

3. An internal combustion engine adapted to use liquid fuel and having aplurality of cylinders, a piston positioned in each of said cylinders,said pistons actuated on the four cycle principle but obtaining dualaction by closing both ends of the cylinders with suitable cylinderheads to form combustion chambers, piston rods for said pistons, crossheads positioned on the said piston rods and having connecting rodsattached thereto, a crank shaft to which said con-l necting rods aresuitably attached, the cranks of said crank shaft being spacedequi-distant necessarily due to the firing order of the engine in orderto balance the crank shaft, in combination with suitable timing andvalve arrangements to provide two explosions every 720"l in any andevery cylinder, said valve arrangement comprising a plurality oi pistonvalve cylinders, valve seats in said valve cylinders. a plurality ofpiston valves positioned one in each cylinder, ports formed between thesaid combustion chambers and the said valve cylinders, the said portspositioned away from said valve seats thus permitting the piston valvesto travel past the said ports so that their reverse action will form asuction in the portion of the valve cylinder adjacent to thecombustionchambers, a set oi valve control rods for each of the saidpiston valves, each set ot valve control rods comprising a hollow rodhaving a solid rod positioned therein and actuated at their lower endsby double faced cams inv such manner as to open and close in 113 ofrotation of the crank shaft of said engine, substantially as described.

SHERMAN D. IRVING.

